Falling Into You
by Pellaaearien
Summary: A diehard fan falls into the world of Fruits Basket. Many surprises ensue. Who is this strange girl, and why is Akito so interested in her? Please review, this is my first story! WARNING! DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ UP TO CHAPTER 131! COMPLETED!
1. The Fall

Falling Into You

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket. If I did, do you think I would be writing fanfics like this? I apologise to Takaya-san for using her characters in a way that she might not like. Also - I have just rudimentary Japanese. If my spelling and/or usage offends you, please correct me. I will gladly accept all corrections - as long as they are phrased kindly. We all have to start somewhere!

I switched off my computer with a deep sigh of satisfaction. After hearing about the update from my friend at school, I had waited impatiently until the final bell when I could rush home and read the most recent chapter of Fruits Basket on the internet. Having finished it, I leaned back in my chair, eyes closed, as I mentally placed the new information in my mental synopsis of the story. Then I just relaxed and thought of Fruits Basket.

I considered myself a normal "Furuba": fanatic. Posters of Yuki, Kyo and the Mabudachi Trio covered my walls. Every published volume of the series sat on a shelf apart above my bed. I had also downloaded all of the rest of the chapters onto my computer. I owned all of the anime DVDs and watched them at through at least once a day. Haru adorned my desktop – last month it had been Kisa. I had learned rudimentary Japanese from watching dubs, and I had decided that my name in Japanese was Kokoro (heart).

"Go to bed, NOW!" My father's voice filtered up the stairs. "Your light should have been off an hour ago! Don't make me come up there!"

I sighed, sadly. Dad just didn't understand my need for Fruits Basket. No adult did. But he _had_ threatened to confiscate all of my Fruits Basket-related material if I kept staying up past curfew, so I went to bed. I shut my eyes, tired in spite of myself, and dreamed, as usual, of Fruits Basket.

In the middle of the night, I woke up suddenly, sweating profusely. I had suddenly dreamed of Kyo and Yuki making out! With a cry, I sat up quickly, and knocked myself out – thankfully – on my shelf of Fruits Basket books.

I opened my eyes, then closed them again. The world was too bright! Then I heard an unfamiliar voice speaking from somewhere above me.

"_Nemuri kara sameshita!_"

The strange words entered my spinning head with the force of a jackhammer. I frowned. I had learned enough Japanese to know what the words meant: "You're awake," but why was someone speaking to me in Japanese?

"_O-genki desu ka?_" (How are you feeling?) The voice was full of concern. I opened one eye a crack.

The room I looked upon was as unfamiliar as it was strange. The walls were mostly bare except for a few long posters covered with graceful Kanji. The furniture was utilitarian – sparse, simple, and low to the ground. The bed I was lying was only a mattress, no boards at either end, and nothing holding it above the floor – a far cry from my bunk bed. This was certainly not my room!

I looked around and saw the person who had spoken. She had waist-length brown hair, brown eyes that were large enough to be noticeable, and a concerned face ending in a sharp chin. I stared, my eyes feeling as though they were going to pop out of my head. _Tohru!_

"_Ohayo gozaimasu,_" the person who looked like Tohru said. I tried a little smile. Tohru was always so polite, even when she said good morning. I knew that I should reply just as politely, or even just say "_hai_" (yes), but I was too confused to say anything.

She kept looking at me with her large eyes, until it felt so awkward that I had to say something. Japanese culture was so formal and polite -I might have offended her.

"_Gomen nasai!_" I blurted quickly, feeling very contrite. If this really was Tohru, I didn't want to make her upset at me. Also, if I was in her house, they were being very kind. I didn't want to seem ungrateful.

The room shifted. A sudden buzzing filled my ears and then cleared.

"For what?" Tohru asked. I sat up in shock. Either Tohru was speaking English, or I had suddenly learned Japanese. At the moment, I wasn't sure which was more likely.

"For… for putting you through all this trouble and then being so impolite," I said.

Tohru shook her head.

"Oh, no, no!" she cried. I stared. _She understood me?_

"It's no trouble at all!" Tohru continued. "We found you on our doorstep – unconscious. Shigure-san decided to take you in."

I started. Had he spoken to Akito already? Did the head of the family know I was here?

"Is… is that all right?" I asked. I didn't want to display too much knowledge of Sohma family inner workings, in case people wondered where I had gotten it. It would be too difficult to explain – especially since I didn't know myself how I had arrived here.

Tohru blinked. Had I said too much? I hastened to cover up.

"I mean, I'm not disrupting anything or causing you any inconvenience, am I?"

Tohru smiled.

"Not at all. Shigure-san, the _danna _(master) of this house, is out to speak to the head of the household of Sohma right now."

But I hadn't found out the secret! Surely Shigure didn't have to check with Akito every time he allowed someone in his house for a few hours?

Tohru must have noticed my hesitation, for she added: "Don't worry! It's nothing serious. Shigure-san said something about recognising your face from somewhere, and went out."

I frowned again. How could Shigure have recognized me?

"I know. It's a mystery to me, too… Oh!" she gasped. "How rude of me! I haven't introduced myself yet. Pleased to meet you! I'm Honda Tohru." She bowed from her position on the floor.

"The pleasure is mine, I assure you," I said with a straight face. "My name is Tsukiakari Kokoro." I bowed as well as I could from my seated position.

Tohru gasped with wonder.

"Such a beautiful, poetic name!" she cried. "May… may I call you Kari-kun? I apologise if it seems forward of me, but I feel like I know you so well already."

"Of course!" I said. "May I also call you Honda-kun?"

Tohru seemed to accept that. "Certainly!" she cried. I relaxed. I had made the right decision. Tohru was correct – we _did_ seem to know each other extraordinarily well.


	2. Many Meetings

**Chapter 2**

Wow, sorry for the long delay! I was away for a while. I'm sorry this chapter is so long, but when there's three people one has to meet, it takes up a lot of space. Before we go any further here I want to repeat the spoiler warning.  
THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS CHAPTER. THERE WILL BE SPOILERS IN EVERY CHAPTER FROM NOW ON. UNLESS YOU HAVE READ UP TO CHAPTER 131 OF FRUITS BASKET, DO NOT READ THIS. This is, of course, assuming that you don't want spoilers. If you want to ruin the story for yourself, read on!  
Oh, and thank-you to everyone who reviewed. Please enjoy.

There were so many things I wanted to ask Tohru, but I couldn't show any knowledge. I didn't know what point they were at in the story, and if I gave something away, I could change the characters' reactions and ruin the storyline. So I remained silent about what I knew to be Fruits Basket, and instead tried to discreetly discover where we were.

But Tohru had questions for me, too, questions even more difficult.

"Where did you come from, Kari-kun? How did you end up on our doorstep?"

I thought hard. How much was it safe to say? "I live… far from here. But I don't really know how I got to this particular place. It all seems so vague, somehow."

Tohru nodded in understanding. "I've heard that happens when one is knocked out. And I'm sorry if I'm prying about where you live. You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to." I nodded, deciding that it was easier to leave it there.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"It's… it's 10:00. Today is Sunday," she said, in response to my puzzled look.

_That's right, _I thought. _When I fell asleep yesterday, it was Saturday. _Then Tohru grew agitated.

"Are you worried because you have to be home at a certain time?" she asked, panicking. "Because, I'm sorry, but you should wait for Shigure-san to return before you go anywhere." I shook my head, trying to calm her.

"Not a problem. I'm not expected for a while." What time was it now at my home. How many hours different was Japan?  
(Author's note: Japan is actually about half a day ahead of CST, so if it was 10:00 am Sunday there, it would be 10:00 pm Saturday CST approximately – I'm no expert.)

Tohru stopped, looking relieved. "Oh, that's good, then." Nodding, I said: "I'm sorry for making you worry."

Tohru was just starting to say: "That's all right, you don't have to apologise," when a soft knock came at the closed door.

"Come in," Tohru called, and the door slid open. My heart stopped, then skipped a beat, returning to normal only to flip-flop in my chest. Standing outside… was Yuki.

He was looking straight at me, and I could feel his violet gaze pierce my soul – or maybe I just wanted it to. He smiled kindly, and my poor heart did another round of acrobatics. Yuki was even more handsome in person than he was in the manga. Under the blanket where no one could see, I pinched myself – hard. _This has got to be a dream._ But I was rewarded with a sharp pain and didn't wake up. I had to fight hard to keep my elation from my face. I wasn't dreaming or delusional. This was real.

Yuki, knowing nothing of this, spoke gently.

"I'm glad you're awake – I was starting to get worried. Good morning." He bowed. "I am Sohma Yuki."

I returned the greeting, bowing as deeply as I could. Inside, I was glowing. _He was worried... about **me!**_

"Very pleased to meet you," I said, taking pride in the fact that my voice didn't shake. "My name is Tsukiakari Kokoro."

He smiled again. "So poetic. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to shorten it – Kari-san."

I nodded. "Of course. I know it's a long name… Sohma-kun."

"I assure you, the pleasure is mine," Yuki said. "Has Honda-san told you what's going on?"

"Yes, I have," Tohru told him. "She seems rather nervous about it all." Yuki turned back to me.

"Please don't worry about it," he said. "Shigure had been acting strangely ever since he saw you. I'm sure it'll all be cleared up as soon as he returns."

"Yes, thank-you," I said. "I am grateful for your generous hospitality, so whatever you decide to do with me is perfectly all right." I wanted to tell them that I was not afraid of Akito, that I knew all her motives, that all she needed was a friend and she would turn out all right in the end, but I couldn't. I had still to pretend that I knew nothing about their world – even though I knew more about all of them than they realised about each other; more than they put into words.

Yuki looked at me a little strangely, and I remembered how much my words must have echoed Tohru's when she was first told of the Sohma family head.

I rose, feeling the robe around me, exotic and strange. I had never worn a Japanese one before, but I knew that I couldn't stay in it forever – I was in their equivalent of a bathrobe.

"Where are my clothes?" I inquired.

"In the laundry… I took the liberty of washing them," Tohru replied. "They were quite dirty." Mistaking my confused stare for one of embarrassment, she shook her head quickly. "I dressed you myself. I didn't think that staying in your old clothes was healthy." She looked down, blushing furiously.

I nodded absently. "That's quite all right." I didn't mind. It wasn't like I had anything she didn't have. I was in fact confused. How had my pyjamas gotten so filthy?

"Yo! I'm home! That damn rat better not be!" My eyes widened. It was Kyo.

"Too late," Yuki said, his face impassive. Kyo swore. "I-" he looked in the room and stopped short.

"Ky-" he caught himself in time to keep from saying something. I knew enough to guess what it was. _Kyoko..?_ After a moment of awkward silence, he hastened to cover up.

"Who…are you?" he asked.

"Tsukiakari Kokoro."

"Sohma Kyo." He looked as though he had seen a ghost. Did I really look that much like Tohru's mother? My hair was the same colour, but… I couldn't puzzle it out any more without a mirror.

Tohru looked from Kyo to me and then back to Kyo.

"Kyo-kun?" she asked, tentatively. "Kyo-kun, Kari-kun is going to stay here for a while."

"Damn girls taking over the place," Kyo muttered, but his heart was not in it.

"Must we go over this again?" Yuki asked. "Who we take into this house is none of _your_ concern. You could at least _attempt_ to be nice to Kari-san."

Kyo looked at me. I could tell he still saw Kyoko in my figure. He sighed.

"…I'm sorry."

The three of us stared at him. Since when had he done _anything_ Yuki said?

"I'm sorry you have to be in this place with that damn rat." He turned to leave.

"Ah. Cool sentiments from the Master of Awkwardness," came a voice from the doorway. We looked and saw Shigure. Kyo's face went red.

"Why do you _always_ say it like that?" he yelled. "It's nothing like that! Shut up!" He pushed by Shigure and disappeared.

Shigure looked at me.

"You, my lovely flower, have just witnessed a classic example of Kyo-kun's "Think-What-You-Want-Dammit" moments. He does it all the time. Please don't let it bother you."

Tohru looked up.

"Um…er, Shigure-san? Why did you go to visit Akito-san? Kari-kun has been worried."

"All in good time, my dear Tohru-kun! First, I must introduce myself to this lovely high school girl." He executed a florid bow in my direction. "Pleased to meet you, my dear. Sohma Shigure, at your service."

"I'm Tsukiakari Kokoro," I said, for the fourth time that morning, "and I'm not a high school girl. I'm 15 – year of the sheep." Had I said too much, I wondered. Nowadays in Japan people didn't walk around referring to the Zodiac. But I kept forgetting that I wasn't supposed to know about the Sohma curse and the Juunishi.

Tohru brightened. "Hiro-cha-" she stopped, remembering that I didn't know about the Sohmas. But it gave me a valuable piece of information – this was after Volume 7.

Shigure hastened to cover up.

"Is that so? You look very mature for your age, then," he said, and I knew he was thinking about Momiji. A thought came into my head, then. What year was it _really_? I knew a lot about Fruits Basket, but not that much. Was I really 15? Had I travelled in time? I dismissed the conundrum. For all intents and purposes, I was 15.

"Yet again, I encounter a youngster with knowledge of the Chinese Zodiac. I am beginning to think that interest in the old folk tales is more widespread than I believed."

I smiled. "Perhaps." I couldn't' quite find it in me to be nice to Shigure. I knew that he was almost worse than Akito, using Tohru and others in order to get what he wanted. Along with a handful of others, I was the only one who knew: beneath the surface, Shigure was not as kind and jovial as he appeared.

"Now, about why I went to see Akito, Kokoro-kun," Shigure continued, "it was elementary, really. You looked very familiar. I seemed to recall seeing you with Akito long ago… or at least, someone who looked like you. I went to talk to Akito about it. That's all."

From above, we heard the sound of someone shifting. Kyo had retreated to the roof once again. Was he listening?

"But… but how could you recognise me, Shigure-san? I have never been here before." Shigure looked pensive – the man never frowned.

"I don't know, to tell you the truth. It's more like a feeling of _déja-vu_."

_Any excuse to see Akito, I suppose, _I thought. Yuki echoed my sentiments.

"That seems like a pretty vague reason to go to Akito," he said suspiciously.

"Look, it's the only way I know of to describe it," Shigure protested, efficiently avoiding the pointed question in Yuki's comment.

"This from a novelist," I said. The three stared at me.

"How did you know I was a novelist?" Shigure asked, shocked. I swore, inwardly. _Another slip!_

"I… uh… I met your editor once. Mitchan? She wouldn't remember now, but she was complaining about her job and used your real name by accident." I hoped I wouldn't slip any more. I hated lying, even to someone like Shigure.

Shigure seemed to accept my explanation. "I know how Mitchan gets sometimes," he agreed, "but how did you know it was me?"

"She mentioned one of the manuscripts you were late in submitting," I lied again, smoothly. I was worried. lying was becoming easier.

Shigure nodded and let the matter drop.

"Now, Akito has expressed a desire to see you…" at this, Yuki looked up sharply. In his eyes I saw deep fear. He was _afraid_ for me! "…but his doctor has said that he won't be able to see anyone for a while," Shigure continued. Yuki tried to hide his obvious relief and nearly succeeded. "You could say Akito specialises in getting sick," Shigure finished.

Yuki spoke. "Isn't this a little odd, Shigure? I mean…" In my mind I completed his sentence. …_she doesn't know about the curse._

I wanted to explain to them that I _did _know about the Juunishi, perhaps more than anyone did, except for Akito. But how could I explain it? _Actually, I do know about the curse, because you're all characters in a popular manga in my world. I don't know how I got here, and I don't know how to get back. _They would think I was insane!

"Well, no one's ever appeared unconscious on our doorstep before." Shigure smiled enigmatically. We knew that we would get no more answers from Shigure.

"Are you feeling better?" Shigure inquired. I nodded. I did feel much better.

"You are more than welcome to stay the day," he offered, "unless there's somewhere else you need to be?"

I shook my head. "No, nowhere. Thank-you so very much." I bowed.

"Don't mention it," Shigure replied. He turned to Tohru.

"Tohru-kun, would you like to show Kokoro-kun around?" he asked. Tohru nodded eagerly. Yuki stood. "I think I'll get some studying done." He looked at me. "That's if you don't mind?"

"No, not at all," I assured him. Yuki left. Shigure also departed to his office. Tohru turned to me.

"Well, Kari-kun, that's our little household." She smiled. "It's very fun to live here." I smiled back. "I'm sure it is."

After Tohru showed me around, we returned to the kitchen. I wanted to help Tohru make lunch, but she wouldn't hear of it. I was a little nervous. I had never eaten Japanese food before. I had never used chopsticks. And, with the whole family plus one Kokoro at the table, things could get… interesting.


	3. Lunch

Wow, another long one! This one's longer than the last, though, I think. I'll try to keep updating chapters on a weekly basis, if at all possible. Thanks for reading, and enjoy!

Chapter 3

Tohru called up to Shigure and Yuki, and they entered the kitchen quickly. Kyo, however, was another matter.

"I suppose I should go get him," Tohru remarked cheerfully as she put down the last plate. I stood from where I had been kneeling at the low table. "Please, allow me."

The three stared.

"I just want to save you some trouble," I explained. Secretly, there were some things I wanted to talk with Kyo about.

"I don't know…" Shigure mused. "Kyo-kun usually isn't very good with people."

"But I'd still like to try," I protested. "I haven't done very much else around here. Please, where would he be?"

"On the roof," Tohru supplied, "but – "

"It's all right," Yuki said. "He seemed to act more gently towards Kari-san. Let her try." I nodded my thanks and left.

Climbing up the ladder to get to the roof, I made as much noise as possible so that I wouldn't startle Kyo when I intruded. When I reached the top, he was already sitting up, glaring at me.

"What do you want?" he demanded. I understood. After glancing in a mirror, I could tell: I was Kyoko's likeness. My hair was longer, but it would be very easy to mistake me for Tohru's mother.

"Forgive my intrusion," I said, sitting down near the ladder, "but I have some questions I'd like answered, please." Without waiting for a response, I continued.

"I… look like someone you know, don't I? Someone… who died? Someone named… Kyoko?"

He stared at me, shocked.

"How… how could you know that?"

"Well, from your expression, it's fairly obvious," I said. In a more serious tone, I continued. "But everyone is entitled to their own secrets."

He frowned at me. "Did you know her? Kyoko, I mean."

I nodded. "I've read about her."

"You were in the gangs, too, eh?" he asked. I just smiled.

"But I want you to remember that I'm not Kyoko." I told him. I wanted to tell him that he was forgiven, that it wasn't his fault, but as that would have changed _everything_ in the story, I kept silent. "I am not here to haunt you," I finished.

The wide-eyed shock returned. "How…?" I smiled enigmatically, a trick I had learned from Shigure. "I told you – it's a secret. Just remember." I became cheerful again. "Lunch is ready."

When the two of us were seen coming in together, more than a few eyebrows were raised at the table. Kyo took his place beside Tohru as I resumed my seat next to Yuki. Nothing was said. After the ritual "_itadakimasu" _(thanks for the food) was said, everyone dug in.

My fears proved unjustified. I got the hang of chopsticks instantly, the same as how I had "learned" the Japanese language only an hour before. And the food was delicious, even though I couldn't put a name to most of the dishes. There was naturally fish and rice, and a bowl of leeks which was snapped up eagerly by everyone (except Kyo).

"So, Koro-kun," Shigure began after nearly ten minutes of steady going, "would you like to stay the night?" I stared. It was my dream come true! "Yes, please," I said, nodding, "as long as you're sure I won't be disrupting anything." Shigure was already shaking his head. "Of course not, Koro-kun, or I wouldn't have offered. In fact, it would be easier on us, since the head of the family is still adamant about seeing you."

No one but me noticed that Yuki had gripped his chopsticks so hard they had broken. He quietly went to the counter for others. I watched him worriedly out of the corner of my eye. _Please don't worry, Yuki, _I begged silently, _I'll be fine._

"Of course, you'll want to call your parents," Shigure was saying. "No doubt they'll be worried by now."

How did I answer this? I didn't want to lie again, but it seemed inevitable. Who would believe the truth?

"I don't have to. My parents won't be worried," I said. _Partial truth_, I defended silently.

Shigure blinked. "Why ever not?"

Tohru looked at me, compassion in her warm brown eyes. "You and your parents… have fought?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yeah," I replied. I knew what she meant, but she didn't have to know what _I _meant.

Her eyes filled with tears. "I am so sorry, Kari-kun," she wailed. I cursed myself. I had made her cry for no reason. I wanted to tell her, tell them all, the truth, right here, right now.

"Yeah, we fought. It was no big deal, but I just thought I'd make myself scarce for a while, you know? I didn't know I'd wandered so far. Maybe I overdid it." _There, two or three explanations in one._

Sudden realisation came into the faces of the four seated around me. I knew they'd just figured out what I'd said.

"Oh, all right, I understand now," Shigure said, "but you're sure you don't want to call..?"

I shook my head. Turning to Tohru, I said apologetically "I'm sorry, very sorry, for making you cry."

Tohru shook her head. "Not at all! Please don't worry about it."

The phone rang. Tohru stood. "I'll get it!" She bustled off down the hall and out of sight.

I sat looking at the three people around me, eating leeks made by Tohru, trying to convince myself that I was not delusional, Yuki really was looking at me like that, and straining to hear Tohru's conversation.

"Hello? Oh! Hello Hatsuharu-san!" Would you like to speak to Yuki-kun?...Uh, well, yes, how…? Um, er, okay, I guess. Goodbye." She hung up, and came back into the kitchen.

"That was Hatsuharu-san," she said, a puzzled look on her face. "He says he's coming over, and… he knows you're here, Kari-kun."

I forced a look of puzzlement onto my face, hoping it looked authentic. "Who?"

"Oh, Hatsuharu-san? He's another member of… the Sohma family," Tohru explained. I released the look of puzzlement.

"Ah, I see." The phone rang again, denying time for further questions. This time Yuki rose. I focused, seemingly, on my diminished dish of leek, while trying to hear Yuki's words.

"Yes? Hello, Kisa. I'll get Honda-san… oh. Well, yes, but how…? I see. Of course you can. See you then."

Yuki re-entered the room, also looking puzzled.

"That was Kisa, another Sohma. She… also knew you were here. She's coming over, too."

Another call broke up the conversation. This time, Shigure went to answer it.

"This is very odd," he said. "I don't usually get this number of calls in a month!"

My dish of leek was rapidly running low. I put some more on, listening intently.

"Haa-san? Yes. Would you like to speak with her? All right, I'll get her." He called out from the hallway. "Koro-kun? Telephone!"

Sharing a look with the other three, I went down to the phone stand.

"Here she is now, Haa-san. Don't scare her!" He passed the phone to me. I took it, reminding myself that I didn't know Hatori.

"Hello?" I said into the receiver.

"Hello. My name is Sohma Hatori, the family doctor."

"I'm Tsukiakari Kokoro."

"Ah, yes. I'm sorry to be talking to you like this when we haven't formally met, but I'd like to tell you a few things."

"All right."

"Firstly: I'm sure you're aware that the head of the family wants to see you. I want to warn you to beware of Akito. I don't know why he wants to see you, or how he will react when he does, but I just want you to know: be careful."

"Of… of course. Yes, thank-you."

"Second: I sensed very strongly the instant you entered Shigure's house and regained consciousness, and I have reason to suspect the other members of the family did, as well. I do not know what this forebodes, but this just means that you will have to be doubly wary of Akito."

"O…okay."

"Third: Are you feeling well?"

"Y-yes, perfectly," I said, a little startled at the sudden change of pace.

"Good. Call me if you need anything. Take care of yourself." He hung up.

I put down the phone, a little overwhelmed. Hatori had a way of talking that made you feel gauche and foolish even when you weren't saying anything. But what everyone said in the manga was true: However much he tried to hide it, Hatori really was a kind person.

I went back to the kitchen to find all four staring at me expectantly.

"What did Haa-san want?" Shigure asked.

"He warned me about Akito-san, and he told me the other members of the Sohma family had… sensed my presence or something."

"That's what Kisa and Haru said, too," Yuki said, frowning. "This is very odd."

"Indeed," Shigure agreed. Tohru looked as though she were about to say something when a knock came at the door. I sat up straighter as Tohru went to answer it. _Hatsuharu… this should prove to be interesting._


	4. Rooftop

Chapter 4 – Yuki

A/N: This is a longish chapter. I thought I owed it to you, seeing as how I took so long getting it up, and for that I am sorry. I did have writer's block for a while, and then I was just too busy to post. For those who have been waiting patiently (and even those who haven't), I present chapter 4.

A/N 2: A reminder that the school system in Japan is a year ahead of the North American school system (can't speak for Europe, though). So in grade 10, you're 16, and ninth grade is still middle school. (I think – correct me if I'm wrong). Also, Kokoro's conversation with Hiro is based on a real-life conversation I had with some smarty-pants who thought he knew everything, when I was just trying to be nice. Of course, I didn't come up with the comeback until about ten minutes after the conversation ended. Isn't that always the way?

Now I'll stop talking, and leave you to the enjoyment (or lack thereof) of chapter 4.

As Haru entered, Tohru bustled off into the kitchen to "get something for him". Yuki made the introductions.

"This is Sohma Hatsuharu. He's a year younger than you, I suppose – tenth grade. Haru, this is Tsukiakari Kokoro-san."

Haru bowed, me following a second after.

"Very pleased to meet you."

"No, the pleasure is mine." Haru looked at Yuki, who gave him a look that distinctly said: _she doesn't know about the curse. Don't bring it up._

"Nice to see you again, Haa-kun," Shigure said.

"And you," Haru replied. "_Ohisahiburi_." (It's been a long time).

Tohru came back in with some things on a tray for Haru.

"Here you are, Hatsuharu-san," she said. "I hop you don't mind – I just warmed up some leftovers."

"They're delicious," Haru said as he tasted. "Now, as to why I'm here, Koro-san," he continued, "well, it was basically just to see you. I've never sensed someone so strongly before."

Shigure was looking thoughtful again.

"This sounds like something I went through with Aaya and Haa-san – my cousins." He didn't elaborate.

"Yeah, so who was it?" Kyo forced his hand.

Shigure's expression was unreadable.

"Akito."

"What!" All of us stared at him in shocked disbelief.

"But surely I'm not on the same level as Akito-san?" I asked.

"Hmm. We shall see." While everyone else turned to look at Shigure, Yuki continued to stare at me. I was instantly lost in those eyes; deep gray wells of sorrow and memory. He was confused by my correlations with Akito. He was reading me too – my love for life, kindness (perhaps) to equal Tohru's, but wisdom greater than hers. Could he sense that I knew more about him than he had told to anyone? His eyes changed. Gentleness suffused me in waves from those silver eyes.

_He's falling for me, _I thought irrationally. _He's falling for me and I've already fallen for him… we can't even hug…_

Haru's voice shook me out of my thoughts.

"Liking what you see?" He had been watching our silent exchange, face expressionless.

I could feel my own face turning a vibrant shade of red as I looked down quickly, afraid to meet anyone's eyes. Haru chuckled. I stole a glance at Yuki, and saw he was blushing faintly too as he looked at me.

Shigure sighed.

"Ah, _l'amour, l'amour. _Even Yuki is not safe from its warm embrace…"

Four pieces of pickled radish found their way onto Shigure's face. I looked at Yuki and grinned – I had only thrown two.

Kisa arrived soon after. Introductions were made, and we all sat down to lunch again. Kisa looked at me for a long, long time. "I sensed you," she said. "I've never done that about anyone before. You are special, Ane-san."

Before I could protest that there was no need for Kisa to call me Ane-san, there came another knock at the door. My heart stopped. Could it be that Hatori had come to take me to Akito after all?

But when it was Hiro who entered, my heart relaxed, though my mind remained sharp. I would need all my wit to get the sarcastic youth on my side.

By now, the rest of us had finished lunch and were on to tea. Asian tea had a distinctly different flavour than what I was used to, but I found it very delicious. I said as much to Tohru, who had just set a cup before Hiro. The boy took a sip, scowling.

"_I _think it's awful."

"Hiro!" Kyo yelled. "You ungrateful little –" I cut him off.

"Everyone's entitled to their own opinion."

Hiro turned on me, sensing a chance for a new victim.

"So you're saying that people who have opinions that are dangerous to society are entitled to them? That murderers and people who start genocides are entitled to their own opinions that people deserve to die? You would let them get away with it because "everyone is entitled to their own opinion"?"

"Hiro…" Yuki began, head in his hand.

"It's all right," I told him, and turned to Hiro again.

"Of course, you would be right," I said. "But society has double standards." Hiro blinked and looked up, caught off-guard.

"If we lived in a society were murder and genocide were not thought of as bad things, would those peoples' opinions be condoned?"

"We don't live in that society." Hiro said sullenly.

"Correct again. However, we have laws. Everyone knows those laws. If people have those opinions and follow though with them, then it is their choice to break the laws, knowing the consequences. In countries where genocide is part of culture, or a long tradition of hatred, the opinions that the other side must die… people are entitled to that. Just because laws say that we are not entitled to those opinions here, doesn't mean that people aren't in other parts of the word. And whether those people are right or wrong is also an opinion that each individual is entitled to have."

Everyone was staring at me by this point. Hiro opened his mouth and closed it several times.

"Whatever," he finally said, and returned to his tea – this time with no complaints.

There was silence for a few moments which was then broken by Shigure applauding.

"Well done! Well done, Koro-kun," he said. "At last we have found an intellect to match dear Hiro-chan."

Hiro growled and stood abruptly. He went to the door, Kisa following. Before exiting, he turned to me.

"A good discussion." He bowed. I returned the gesture. "And you. You made some valid points. _Hajimemashite, _Kisa-chan, Hiro-chan," I said.

"You too… Ane-san," Hiro said, and left.

"Um, excuse me," Tohru said, after long silence, "but did Hiro-chan just call Kari-kun Ane-san?"

"He just called her Ane-san," Yuki said, looking at me with respect and disbelief.

I looked down in embarrassment.

Late in the afternoon, Haru departed. We had played Dai-Hin-Min together for hours – everyone ended up winning one round.

"So all they really wanted was to see you, then, Kari-kun?" Tohru asked as I helped her with the dishes.

"It seems that way," I said.

"The Sohma family is very large," Tohru said. "If they all come to see you, it's going to take a lot of time!" she smiled. "It might be fun!"

I smiled as well – that was exactly what I wanted. "I'm sure it will be."

It was decided that I would sleep on a futon in Tohru's room. As night fell, however, I grew tired of walking around the house had having people stare at me like I was some kind of strange alien or something, so I retreated to the roof, wanting silence and solitude for a chance to think. Shigure's house was very loud. Kyo wasn't there – he was in his room training.

I thought about my parents – they would realise by now that I was missing. What would they do? How would they react? I thought about seeing a picture of myself on the Japanese news and shuddered.

A light step behind me made me look up. Yuki hesitated on the last rung of the ladder.

"I hope I'm not intruding?"

"Not at all," I told him, indicating a place beside me. He sat. I could feel his warmth, his nearness, like a living thing. If I snuggled nearer to him, would he transform?

"Kari-san…" he began. I put up a hand to halt him.

"As long as I'm living in your house for the night, call me by name."

He looked at me, taken aback. "You're sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, or I wouldn't have asked."

"No one's ever asked me to call them by their first name before." He looked down, struggling for a moment.

"A-all right… K-Kokoro." He blushed faintly. "At least let me call you -san." he begged. "I feel odd not using it."

"I wouldn't want to make you feel uncomfortable," I said good-naturedly. "Try again."

"Kokoro-san." He smiled. I nodded. "There. Much better." Yuki turned to me.

"If I'm using your name, you should use mine."

"Thank-you… Yuki-san." We both grinned at each other.

"How long are you here for, Kokoro-san?" he asked. I looked down. I couldn't tell Yuki the truth, not when I was getting so close to him.

"I-I don't know…" Yuki looked at me reprovingly. "Please stop trying to hide it, Kokoro-san," he said compassionately. "You don't have anywhere to go." I looked up, startled.

"I don't know whether you really fought with your parents or not, but it's obvious to me that you will not be returning to them tomorrow." I looked down again and nodded. Yuki's words had brought home the reality that I would not be seeing my parents either today, or tomorrow, or the next day… for a very long time. I couldn't get home. The world of Fruits Basket, living in it, was wonderful, but I loved my parents very much. To my consternation, a tear trickled down my cheek to land on the back of my hand. I wiped it away hurriedly – I couldn't let Yuki see me crying – but Yuki had seen. Before my next tear could fall, Yuki caught it on his finger. I sniffed slightly, getting myself under control.

"I'm sorry," I said, but Yuki silenced me.

"Don't be," he said. "It's nice to know that people our age in this world still love their parents," he said. "It was very kind of you to protect Honda-san from the truth." His arm moved, probably involuntarily, to my shoulders before he pulled it back.

_Go ahead, _I thought. _I know what will happen. _But I couldn't say it.

"Kokoro-san?"

"Yes?"

"About… about Akito…"

"You don't want me to see him." He nodded.

"I suppose if I can see through you, then you can see through me, too," he said, with a small smile. "And you're right. I don't want you to see Akito."

"Why?" Here I was, having to play the innocent, ignorant outsider, when inwardly I knew that my question would cause Yuki pain. Another side of me was curious – would he tell me?

"Akito… is dangerous." Yuki said. "Hatori warned you to be careful of him, and I agree. He is prone to unpredictable mood swings. He could hurt you." I looked at him, startled. He put his hand on my leg, giving me goose bumps all over. "I don't know why I'm so worried about you… but I sense somehow that you understand me, which is odd… for an outsider."

"And you understand me." I smiled and put my hand on his arm. The urge to hug him was overpowering, but I suppressed it for the moment. "Thank-you for worrying about me, but I'm sure I'll be fine. I _am_ nervous, but I'll be all right."

"Don't forget, I'll be there with you," Yuki said, "and probably Shigure, too. Honda-san and the _baka neko _won't be, though."

"You'll… you'll be coming with me?" I asked. The thought of Yuki going back to the main house for me was so… selfless. Even though he was terrified of Akito, he would face her to protect me.

"Of course!" Yuki's eyes widened. "You thought you had to go alone? No wonder you were nervous. We'll all go together and see what Akito wants. But we won't be going for a while yet."

"Yuki-san, you're so kind. I'm so happy, thank-you."

He looked at me, blushing faintly.

"I'm not that kind, really."

"But you _are_," I persisted earnestly. "I know you don't want to go back to the main house. I know you're afraid of Akito-san. But you'll go anyway… just for me. That's very kind of you." I had just blown my cover again, but it didn't matter to me. Yuki had to understand this.

"You… you know. You know about that." Yuki said, shocked. _What else does this girl know about me? _he wondered.

"Yes. I know a lot more than you think!" I said impatiently, trying to brush it off and failing miserably. "The point is: you are a kind person, Yuki-san. I believe it with all my heart." That last bit had been a little cheesy, I admit. But I had to get my point across. Yuki had to think of himself as a kind person, or I would go insane.

He blushed again, a little harder. "Thank-you. Thank-you, Kokoro-san. Now that those words are said, I realise how much I wanted to hear them – that someone else believes I'm kind. Someone who doesn't know… very much about me." He had been about to mention the Zodiac again. Yuki looked up at the sky.

"It's getting late," he said. "Look, the moon is rising."

"Yes," I said. "Uh, Yuki-san?"

"Nn?"

"I'm staying here tonight, but I'll be leaving tomorrow." I couldn't think of imposing on them when their house was already so full.

He took my hand. "Don't even think about it, Kokoro-san," he said. "You _will _be staying with us. No arguments." I opened my mouth to argue anyway when Yuki put his hand on my lips, silencing me.

"I'm not going to let you protest," he said. "You're staying here, and that's final."

"A-are you sure?" I asked. Yuki squeezed my hand. "Of course, Kokoro, or I wouldn't have said so." I stared. _He had used my name!_ "Besides, I want to discover how much more about us you know." He grinned.

"Y-Yuki… you-"

"And you did, too. It doesn't feel so odd anymore, somehow. Welcome to Shigure's house, Kokoro."

"Thank-you. Thank-you so much, Yuki."

He seemed to hesitate, then kissed my cheek. I looked at him, surprised, and he drew back, also surprised by his own boldness.

"I'm sorry, Kari-san," he said, and got up to leave. I stood with him.

"I thought you were calling me Kokoro." I kissed him back. "Don't be sorry."


	5. Inquisition

I am SO sorry for how long it took to post this chapter! A lot of stuff happened in RL and then I had to figure out how everything worked in the storyverse. So if I still have any readers, thank-you for being so patient!

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Chapter 5

We went back inside and didn't say another word. Everyone else had gone to bed. Yuki took my hand and kissed it. I felt a shiver of happiness run down my spine. I was glad it was dark – no one could see me blush.

"Goodnight, my princess," he said. "I shall see you in the morning."

I smiled. "And you, gracious prince."

"Did I do that right?" Yuki inquired. I squeezed his hand. "Perfectly."

"Now I have the night to figure it out," he grinned.

"What?"

"Why I like you," he replied bluntly.

"Do you need a reason?"

"Seemingly. Goodnight, Kokoro."

"Goodnight, Yuki."

He went to his room. I went to Tohru's, rejoicing inwardly. _He likes me! _I exulted. _He likes me! _All my dreams and wishes had come true at last. But as I lay down on my mattress, a small part of my brain nagged: "It's going too fast." As I drifted off to sleep, I wondered if that part of me might not be right.

That morning, I wondered what would happen to me. Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo would go off to school, and I would be left with Shigure. I supposed I could offer to run errands or something. It wasn't that I didn't want to be alone with Shigure, it was just that I wanted to be doing things.

Then I discovered a more pressing issue: clothes! Mine were still in the wash! I sat up and looked wildly for Tohru, but she had disappeared, probably downstairs to make breakfast. Just as I was pondering going downstairs in my robe, there came a knock at the door.

"Kari-kun?" Tohru's voice inquired. "Are you awake?"

"Yes," I replied, and the door slid open. "Did you sleep well, Kari-kun?" Tohru asked. "You were up on the roof for a while last night."

"Yes, wonderfully," I said.

"That's good. Breakfast is ready." As I looked at her, trying to figure out how to phrase my concern, she gasped.

"Clothes! Oh, I'm sorry, Kari-kun, but I didn't get a chance to do the laundry last night. If you don't mind, you can borrow some of mine." She went to her closet, and I looked at the wonders contained there.

Everything was so cute! There were short skirts, pretty dresses, and tiny shirts. Since this was an anime, I half expected them to sparkle.

"Please, pick whatever you like," Tohru said, indicating the closet. "Come down to table when you've finished." She left, sliding the door shut behind her.

Even though I was a year younger than Tohru, I was still basically the same size. Half-jokingly, I thought: _What would Yuki like to see me in? _I giggled at my own silliness. But I remembered from volume 7 that Yuki might like blue, so I picked a dark blue tank top out of Tohru's closet. The rest was easy. I chose a white miniskirt and put both on. Now I really looked like an anime character, and cute to (if I may say so). I inspected my reflection in the mirror.

Now that I really looked, I didn't seem that much like Kyoko, so I didn't know what Kyo was getting all worked up about. The only thing that was similar was the hair colour. I had always had long hair – waist length – but now it was down to my knees. I supposed it was the anime-ification that I had undergone when I had fallen into this world. My eyes, blue-green in my world, had changed oddly. My left eye was a deep indigo, and my right was now emerald. I thought it odd that none of the others had commented on it, until I realised that it was probably because they weren't supposed to. I was just a "normal" anime character now.

I saw a brush lying on Tohru's desk and ran it quickly through my red-gold hair. I wasn't worried about lice at this point – longer hair made for a bigger bedhead! I tied it back into a ponytail just to make it more manageable. Then I went downstairs.

Yuki looked up as I entered. He gave me a special smile, just for an instant. Then the expression was gone, replaced by the polite look his face normally carried.

"Good morning, Kari-san. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, excellently, Sohma-kun." I understood. When we were alone, it was okay to call each other by name. But not in front of others.

Breakfast was a rather subdued affair. Everyone, especially Yuki and me, seemed worn out.

Surprisingly, Shigure never mentioned taking me home. I didn't bring it up, either. Did they mean to keep me here? It was fine by me if Shigure wanted me around.

All too soon, Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo had to leave for school. I had forgotten to ask for any errands. Shigure just sat there, across from me, reading the paper. I was afraid to move, in case I drew attention to myself and Shigure wondered why I was still there.

But I couldn't stay at the table forever, and neither could Shigure. Time passed slowly, as though we were frozen. There was no sound.

Shigure didn't seem to think it odd that I didn't have to go to school, that I didn't even have to go home.

Finally, he broke the silence.

"You're not from around here, are you, Koro-kun?" I looked up, surprised. Shigure looked pensive.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to ask any questions. I know that when we see Akito, everything will be cleared up." He stood abruptly.

"Come with me, Koro-kun, please." I stood obediently, a little nervous. Was he taking me to see Akito?

But when he lead me into his office and motioned for me to take a seat by his computer, my anxiety was replaced by confusion. What was going on?

Shigure turned on the machine.

"Koro-kun, do you enjoy romance novels?"

A question out of the blue. "Ah-er… yes. Very much so."

"The trouble is, Koro-kun, I have an editor, the Micchan you mentioned. But I don't have anyone to review my work before it gets to the editing stage. I would be honoured if you would read over my manuscripts before I give them to Mi-i."

"Of-of course, the honour would be mine."

And that was how I became Shigure's in-house reviewer. No questions asked.

Now I was earning my keep, doing something I loved. It wasn't like Shigure's stories were all that bad – I just had to remember not to eat right before. I was also supposed to make sure Shigure made his deadlines. I like to think that I made Micchan's life a bit easier. But I'm getting ahead of myself here.

As soon as he came home from school, Yuki went looking for me.

"Kari-san? Kari-san?" He sounded a little worried. I emerged from Shigure's study.

"_Okaeri, _Sohma-kun. Is something wrong?" Yuki stopped dead, eyes wide.

"Are you all right, Kari-san? What did Shigure do to you?" Before I could respond, Tohru and Kyo entered.

_"Okaeri, _Honda-kun, Kyo-kun," I said brightly.

"Hello, Kari-kun!" Tohru replied.

"Yo," Kyo said sullenly. He continued walking, mounted the stairs to his room, and disappeared. I shook my head and smiled. Some things never changed.

"Excuse me, Kari-kun, Yuki-kun." Tohru said, smiling, "but I have to get the ingredients for dinner."

"Do you need me to help you?" Yuki and I both said at the same time. We looked at each other and grinned.

Tohru shook her head. "Thanks, you two, but Shigure-san has already offered."

Shigure appeared from down the hall. "_Okaeri._ Ready to go, Tohru-kun?"

"Of course, whenever you're ready."

"Then let's go!" Shigure said. "Farewell!" They were gone. Yuki turned back to me.

"What did he do to you, Kokoro? What did that pervert do?" His eyes were aflame with concern. I crossed the room to put my hand on his arm.

"It's all right, Yuki. Don't worry. Shigure-san didn't do anything to me, unless you count my reading his manuscripts." I gave his arm a small squeeze. "Thanks for worrying."

Yuki relaxed and smiled. "I'm glad. And Shigure's always been looking for a reviewer. You, too, are kind, Kokoro."

I looked down. "_Arigato…_" Then I asked the question that had been burning me all day.

"Did you decide? Why you like me?"

He smiled and took my hand. "I think so. You're beautiful, Kokoro. But more than that, you're kind. You understand me… more than I think even _I _know. Otherwise I would never have opened up to you so fast. And… you like me, too. That's more than enough, in my books." I smiled.

"Makes sense to me."

We spent the next hour together in his room. Yuki had a stereo, and we listened to J-pop that was actually pretty good. Then we got started on his homework.

"We, because, though Yuki was brilliant, light-years ahead of me in math and such (since I had never been good at it anyway, I, strangely, was good in the subjects Yuki was less skilled in (namely, Grammar and Kanji – my knack for L.A. had been transferred through the languages, it seemed).

With Yuki awing and tutoring me in math, and me helping him along in L.A., time flew by, and pretty soon, Tohru and Shigure returned with the groceries. Yuki looked up at the wall clock, startled.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Kokoro," Yuki said, shamefaced, "I didn't mean to drag you into my homework."

I smiled. "That's quite all right. I enjoyed it. It was fun," I assured him, seeing the doubtful look on his face. He suddenly smiled.

"I know another reason," he said. "I like spending time with you. It's good to finally have an intellectual conversation with someone on my level. Certainly not the _baka neko, _and Honda-san…" he trailed off. Tohru was kind, but she was not the sharpest tack in the box. I blushed. _Yuki thought I was intelligent! _I managed to say:

"Trust me, the feeling is very mutual."

Dinner that night was perfectly normal (or at least, as normal as things ever got in Shigure's house) In-between courses, Yuki sought and held my hand under the table. His expression never changed. I couldn't resist a small smile, however. Everything was perfect, just as I had only dared imagine in my wildest fantasy.

Yuki volunteered to help Tohru clear up. Shigure disappeared into his study, and Kyo retreated to the roof. I hesitated, feeling strangely abandoned and lonely. For lack of a better idea, I went outside.

Looking up, I could just see Kyo, if I tilted my head at the right angle. He had noticed my exit and was looking at me. I could tell what he wanted.

_Come up. _

So I did.

"How long are you gonna stay here?" Kyo asked sullenly. I wasn't surprised – I wouldn't welcome a constant reminder of my past, either.

"Indefinitely," I told him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked. I couldn't resist a small smile. After hours in Yuki's company, Kyo seemed so rustic it was cute.

"Indefinitely? It means I'm not sure – but for a while."

"Damn," Kyo muttered under his breath and turned away.

"I'm sorry, Kyo-kun," I said, hurt by his reaction. "I'm sorry that I bother you." He looked back at me, eyes wide.

"No! Wait – I didn't mean it that way, there's no need to get so upset!"

I was glad that he had apologised, but I understood that he wanted to be alone again now.

"Well then, I'll leave you alone. I didn't mean to intrude." I stood to leave, hearing the sliding door below open as I did so.

"Hold on!" Kyo yelled. I looked back, startled, slightly off-balance. Trying to right myself, I put my foot down on a loose tile which broke under the weight. I felt myself falling. With a startled cry, I grabbed wildly for anything to break my downward slide, but the other tiles held and I couldn't grasp them. I spun over the edge.

"Kokoro?!" It was Yuki's voice. He was so startled that he had forgotten not to call me by name except when we were alone. He was right below me. He was going to catch me.

_No! Don't catch me! You're going to transform…!_" The words ran through my head, but I didn't have time to say them. Everything was happening so fast!

The roof of the porch loomed up below me, and all breath fled my lungs with an audible sound as I rammed into it with all the force of gravity. I couldn't get enough air to yell in my pain, only a kind of muffled cry. Then I was in the air again, having rolled off the roof.

A flash of silver hair… Gray eyes wide in surprise… arms involuntarily closing around me… He was going to turn into a rat any second now, they were going to erase my memory…

I gasped, startled. _Nothing happened! _I was there in Yuki's arms, and Yuki was still Yuki!

"Yu…ki…" I managed, in a confused whisper.

"What's going on?" It was too much for Yuki to handle. "Kokoro, are you all right?"

"Just… fine," I said, and blacked out.

When I came to, it was the face of Hatori looming over me that reminded me where I was and what had happened.

"What…" As I tried to find words to string together into a cohesive sentence, Hatori raised an eyebrow.

"So we do meet face to face, though I don't believe I expected it to be like this. You may remember when we talked on the phone; my name is Sohma Hatori. How are you feeling?"

I tried to sit up and succeeded marginally.

"Okay… I think."

"You took quite a hit to the head. Tell me, what is your name and age?" It was the old amnesia test. I almost replied with my real name, thus cementing the identity crisis going on in my head, but I remembered in time and said:

"Tsukiakari Kokoro. 15. And the last time I looked, I was in Shigure-san's house."

"So you do remember. All right then, I am going to declare you officially better than you were."

I looked at him. Was he joking? I hardly expected it of the stoic doctor. A vision of Kana came into my head, and I had the sudden urge to broach the subject with him, until I realised that this might not be the right time.

"I'm going to order you to stay in bed for another day at least. You got some pretty nasty scrapes and I want to make sure they don't open again with you moving around. All right?" I got a look from both his eyes that dared me to argue. I didn't.

"But I'm told that's not all that happened last night…"

I interrupted in surprise.

"_Last_ night? How long have I been out?"

"It's only noon now," Hatori said, as though the fact I had been unconscious for over 12 hours wasn't worrying. "As I was saying, something very interesting happened last night, and I would like to be at leisure to discuss it with you when you are… shall we say… more coherent?" I nodded, feigning ignorance. I knew what _should _have happened the night before, but it hadn't, and as to that, I was as in the dark as anyone else.

"I think I'll let the others in… Yuki in particular has been practically hanging on the door ever since he brought you in." If the end of the sentence surprised him, Hatori didn't show it.

He hardly finished speaking when Yuki burst into the room, looking (it had to be said) flustered. He blushed when he saw me.

"Kari-san. How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thanks to Hatori-san."

"I'll be in the other room, if you need me," Hatori said. "I have a feeling it's going to get fairly crowded in here." That had to be a joke, because there was no one else in sight, but it left Yuki and me alone.

"What happened?" We both asked at the same time. "You first," Yuki said.

"All right. Kyo-kun wanted to talk to me on the roof. I went up, and we had a talk, but then… I slipped." I didn't want to put the blame on anyone for what happened, but Yuki figured it out.

"He startled you, didn't he? And that made you fall. _BAKA NEKO!_" His eyes were scaring me. They were so dark. "He's going to pay for this. _Maybe _I'll let him live… if he begs for mercy." He would have left straight away, but I stopped him, ignoring the twinge as I moved my bruised arm.

"No, Yuki!" I cried, grabbing his sleeve as he headed for the door. "Stop!" It was no use. Yuki disappeared in search of Kyo. I couldn't move without everything in my body hurting a lot, but I still knew he had found him when I heard raised voices in a different part of the house. There was Yuki and Kyo shouting at each other, and Tohru getting frantic as she tried to prevent the fight, and Shigure calling warnings against breaking the house. But I knew things were getting serious when Tohru's voice rose to a fevered pitch and even Hatori intervened.

"Yuki, that is _enough_!" His tone was of steel, brooking no argument. There was one last crash – a paper door, most likely, and then everything was silent.

"Yuki-kun… Kyo-kun!" Tohru cried. Shigure's voice came, muffled through the floor.

"I thought I forbade you to go that far, Yuki. You know what happens when you unbridle your strength on Kyo…" His voice was shocked and stern.

"Well, at least now he won't be harming Kari-san any more," Yuki said, his tone cold and distant. I listened, startled. What had Yuki done to Kyo? Had he actually killed him?

This was a side of Yuki that I had seen only once before in the manga, when he got so angry he lost it. It was near the end. It was a side of Yuki that I was very afraid of. Had my presence in the manga already ruined the storyline? If Kyo died, all was lost. I would have screwed up the best story in the world.

I heard footsteps, and soon, Yuki entered the room once again. I sat up more, my body protesting and then going still.

"Yuki? What did you do to Kyo-kun?"

"I only knocked him out. I thought you and Honda-san wouldn't like it if I killed him."

I had a feeling that Hatori was going to be around a lot in the coming days.

Tohru and Shigure visited me later that afternoon, after Kyo had been taken care of. He had to be taken to the hospital for his injuries (after he changed back from being a cat, that is), and I felt awful in my own skin. I hated myself for the harm that I had indirectly caused Kyo. There was no reasoning with Yuki on the subject. Every time I brought it up, he got angry again and there was nothing I could do. It was odd that an act born out of his love for me should serve to drive us apart. Yuki realised he had crossed the line, but there was no way he would admit it to anyone, even to me. It was a very touchy subject.

The next morning, Hatori came in to inspect me and said that I should stay in bed for another day, just to be on the safe side. I was sick of lying down all the time, but I supposed it was for the best, because it hurt every time I moved. But the events of the night had not been forgotten, and Hatori and Shigure had evidently decided that talking about them could not be put off. Tohru, Yuki told me, had been dying to find out whether I was part of the Zodiac (whenever she could be distracted from her overbearing worry for Kyo). Yuki knew I wasn't, though, and there was something in his eyes that told me that he knew. He somehow knew everything, even if he hadn't yet figured it out.

That afternoon, Shigure, Hatori, Yuki, and Tohru (to my surprise) were all gathered around my bed, seated on a motley assortment of cushions gathered from other rooms. I had managed to sit up fully, and they were all looking at me expectantly. I knew the first part was up to me. The time for the truth had come.

"You're right," I began. "I'm not from here at all. Not from Tokyo, not even from Japan. My real home – my real family – is in Canada."

Shocked glances. Yuki spoke. "But… your Japanese…" I put my finger to my lips.

"Please, wait until I've finished. I will tell you everything I know." They all nodded. Now came the hard part.

"There is manga in Canada, too. One of the most popular is a series called Fruits Basket. It's a story about an orphaned girl coming to live in a house of three men. These men are members of a large, mysterious family keeping a terrible secret. The secret is this: when they are hugged by a person of the opposite sex, they transform – into the animals of the Chinese Zodiac."

Their mouths dropped open.

"But… but that's us!" Tohru exclaimed. I nodded.

"I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow I was transported from my world into yours – when Volume 7 of Fruits Basket hit me on the head."

"But you're real," Hatori said, trying to get his head around the information in a logical way. "I treated you. Your body was the same as all of my other patients. And yet you're talking about other worlds. Other worlds can't exist."

"I thought so, too. Until I came here. I would like to try something, if you don't mind. It requires a phone."

There was a brief scurry as Shigure brought the hall phone into my room. There just happened to be a jack.

"What's the long distance area code?" I asked. Hatori told me, and I punched it in before dialling my home phone number. I held the receiver in such a way as everyone could hear, if they leaned in close, as the tone rang. Finally, a man's voice answered.

"Hello?"

I asked for my parents.

"You must have the wrong number. No one like that lives here," came the reply. I apologised for the interruption and hung up the phone.

"Were you… speaking English?" Shigure asked. They all looked blank. I stared. I was so used to hearing them _all_ speaking English that I had forgotten – they must be hearing me speak Japanese. Of course, all Japanese people take a mandatory course in English for six years, but it was certainly not their most familiar tongue.

"Er… yes. I have a theory…"

"Then let's hear it," Hatori said.

"Well," I began, "assuming that we all accept that I'm from another world or dimension, then how do we understand each other?"

"Your Japanese is exceptional," Tohru spoke up. "Even better than mine."

I smiled. "So is your English."

She gasped. "I'm speaking English?" I nodded. "You all are."

Yuki looked startled, then chuckled. "I've always wanted to do that."

"Trust me, Japanese is much more interesting… in my opinion. Anyway, my theory is this: When I first woke up here, Honda-kun was speaking Japanese. But as soon as I replied, there was this buzzing, and suddenly she was speaking English. I think we're speaking the languages that make most sense to us."

"So if you were from China, we'd all be speaking Chinese?" Tohru asked.

"Exactly."

"That still doesn't explain how you got here," Hatori said.

"As for that, even I don't know." They all seemed to think for a moment, then nodded.

"So you know about the Zodiac, Koro-kun?" Shigure asked.

"Yes. I know all about you, the Dog, Yuki, the Rat, Hatori, the Dragon (which manifests itself as a seahorse), Kyo the Cat, Kagura the Boar, Hatsuharu the Cow (and both his black and white sides), Momiji the Rabbit, Kisa the Tiger, Hiro the Sheep, Aayame the Snake, as well as Ritsu, Rin and Kureno."

"But… you know people that Honda-san hasn't even met yet," Yuki exclaimed. "Has the manga gone beyond this point in your world?"

"Yes. It's almost near the end in my dimension's Japan," I replied. "The only reason why I'm in this particular time, I believe, is because Volume 7 hit me on the head, not 13 or 14."

"Then that means… you know the future!" Tohru cried, shocked.

"Yes, but I can't tell you. Doing so would ruin this dimension, possibly forever. Knowing what is going to happen would change your reactions and the storyline, forever, irreparably."

Hatori and Shigure nodded. "Very wise."

I hesitated to breach the subject, but it had to be said.

"I also know about Akito-san. _Everything_," I said, with a significant look at Shigure and Hatori. They looked shocked, but then Shigure had the grace to look abashed. Yuki and Tohru were watching the exchange with blank looks, but I couldn't tell them that I knew Akito was a girl.

"Well, it seems we have a bit of a dilemma," Shigure said, recovering, "because Akito still wants to see you. More than ever. And you also have to get home to your own family."

I nodded. "As much as I like you guys, I don't belong in this dimension. Already my presence has affected the storyline," I said, with a discreet glance at Yuki which only the rat saw.

"I will take you to see Akito as soon as you're well enough to travel," Shigure said, causing a glare of fire to come at him from Yuki. "I'm sorry, Yuki-kun, but it has to be done. If we do not let Akito see Koro-kun, then his wrath will be all the more harmful to her." Yuki looked away sullenly. Shigure was right.

Hatori stood, ending the inquisition.

"Then tomorrow, we go to the main house. Tohru, it would be better if you didn't come. Stay with Kyo." Tohru nodded. "The rest of us will accompany you to meet Akito," he continued, with a glance at me.

I was worried, though I tried not to show it to them. How would meeting Akito alter the timeline? It would be better if I got home before I saw the Sohma family head. But that was impossible.


	6. Akito

**A/N**: So we finally get up to the point. Oh, the suspense is killing me... and I'm the one writing!

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**Chapter 6 - Akito**

An awkward silence presided over the backseat of the car as rain pelted down the window. After the discussion, Yuki had left without saying a word. It was too much for him to take all at once. Tohru had stayed with me, but it was decided that there was no need for her to go to the main house. But Yuki still hadn't opened up, and it was very difficult guessing what he was thinking. Hatori had come over with Kyo in tow, the latter having recovered from his injuries. I couldn't talk to him. I still felt so guilty about what had happened to him… what I had caused. The doctor stayed the night and then drove me, Yuki, and Shigure in the morning. All that time there was a sense of avoiding me – as though now that they knew where I was really from I didn't belong.

Who was this strange person sitting across from me? What was the cold silence between us, who had once been so close? Yuki certainly wouldn't say anything with Hatori and Shigure there, and I didn't want to put him in that position. The silence continued, getting heavier and heavier the closer we got to the main house. Of course, Yuki was also worried about meeting Akito. I couldn't blame him.

The car stopped, and we got out. The rain seemed almost refreshing after the weighty silence of the car.

The main house was even more impressive that it seemed in the manga. I felt very small and insignificant. Yuki's eyes were dead as he looked at the gate. The gaping maw frightened me, too. Even when Yuki began to walk forward, I couldn't move. I was suddenly terrified – terrified of Akito, terrified of the main house, terrified that I would never leave this place again.

Yuki looked back, and it seemed a spark of compassion leaped from his eyes. He came back. Hatori and Shigure had gone on ahead, seemingly eager to see Akito before she set eyes on us.

"Kokoro-san?" I looked up, surprised. He had used my name again. Suddenly, all of the things I wanted to say evaporated. I studied the gravel beneath my feet, the rain soaking through my hair.

"I'm… I'm sorry."

Strong hands grasped my shoulders.

"How… how could you, knowing everything… still live with us? Still get close to us? Talk to me like you have…? I don't understand. I don't deserve to be with people like you, like Honda-san. And yet… I need you both. Kokoro…" He was holding back, I knew. He wanted to hug me, but he still couldn't bring himself to do it. I put my arms on his sides, not quite a hug, but close enough. "Not at the main house. Maybe later, okay?" Then we went in together.

There was the maid, and Hatori waiting to escort us in. They said nothing about us holding hands – for my comfort or Yuki's, I wasn't sure.

All too soon, we were there: the inner sanctum, Akito's lair. Akito stood there awaiting us. Yuki stiffened, but the head of the family ignored him for now.

She came towards me, arms open, big smile on her face. My heart turned cold. Whatever reaction I was expecting, it wasn't this. If she had been infuriated, I would have felt safer than I did now. Yuki looked askance at me, nervous. I shared his sentiments. Akito folded me in a warm embrace.

"Sister dear! Why the long face?"

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**A/N: **Heh… short chapter entirely planned. Really leaves you hanging, eh? 


	7. Sisters

Chapter 7 – Sisters

**A/N: **Well, didn't this one take a while? Sorry to everyone for the cliffhanger. I had to deal with exams before I could write this chapter. It took a lot of thought! Hope you like it! Thanks muchly to all my faithful reviewers! I love you all!

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Akito came towards me, smiling, arms open wide.

"Sister dear!"

I blinked as she embraced me, cognitive functions unresponsive. Far from hugging her back, I couldn't even think. Akito looked at me, perturbed.

"Oh dear," she said, her voice dripping with false honey, "don't tell me you've forgotten." Yuki looked at me with outright fear in his eyes. The limit had been reached. He would not believe anything else that happened. He needed an explanation, and he needed it now.

Unfortunately, I could have used that explanation, too. If I had been capable of speaking, I might have tried to say something to reassure Yuki, but at the moment I was content with the fact that my brain was working.

"You _have_ forgotten, haven't you?" Akito asked again. A rhetorical question, as it turned out. The family head put her arm around me in what she pretended was a jovial and friendly manner, and led me away, leaving Yuki to stand, blinking, overwhelmed with the anomaly that had suddenly dropped into his life. Akito began talking almost immediately as she started moving, so that even if I had the capability to answer her question, I wouldn't have been able to. So I kept silence, trying to get my brain up to speed with the enormous ramifications of Akito's simple greeting.

"When Shigure came to tell me about the girl he had discovered on his doorstep," Akito was saying, "it seemed almost too good to be true. My dear sister, returned after all these years? Of course, I had to be sure. So I requested that you be brought here, so that I could have a look at you. Shigure's description matched my sister's perfectly, and here you are! My sister indeed."

I had recovered sufficiently by this point to phrase a simple sentence.

"We are sisters?"

Akito sighed with exaggerated patience.

"Yes, of course we are, Kokoro, what do you think I've been telling you all this time? It cuts me to the core that you don't remember a thing!"

"You… you know my name?" My brain was simply not processing the information any more. How could Akito know my name? It was a pseudonym, nothing more. I had chosen it from my limited knowledge of Japanese because it sounded nice!

"Of course I know my own sister's name, even though it's been almost ten years. I haven't forgotten, unlike _you_. Why, I'd be surprised if you even knew as much about me."

"I do. I do know your name, Akito."

She raised her eyes to the heavens in mock supplication. "Heavens above! At least she knows that." She turned to me, a sly smile on her face.

"But we are sisters, and I can prove it to you. You've been living in Shigure's house for a few days, right?" I nodded – there at least was something I knew. "Well, that's more than enough occasion to hug or be hugged by one of the less… _human _occupants."

I hesitated, knowing how jealously Akito guarded her males. If the family head had somehow gotten wind of my extended relations with Yuki, her favourite, I could end up like Rin. Having no particular desire to tumble from a roof again, I had to tread carefully. But I also wanted information.

"Yes, actually. It was an accident. I fell off the roof. Sohma-kun caught me." I decided the honourific would be prudent here. Akito seemed to accept it.

"Ah, yes. I happened to hear of that little incident. Well, did you happen to wonder why nothing happened to the boy who caught you?" Akito seemed to have already quite a bit of information about my sources. Then I stopped, despite her guiding arm.

"You mean…"

Akito smiled, showing teeth but no emotion. "Now you understand. That is my proof. Is it enough for you?"

Of course. It made a twisted amount of sense. Yuki hadn't transformed because I was (technically speaking) related to God. And of course, God didn't transform. It was a stretch, but certainly enough to back up Akito's claim.

But I already had parents! And a younger brother. I had been with them as far back as I could remember. There was just no way.

My own thoughts incriminated me. _As far back as I could remember. _For all I knew, I could have been living in this world before I remembered.

"Still not convinced?" We had started moving again.

I shook my head. "I must admit, the story is sound." Akito chuckled in triumph. I decided to take a chance. If Akito knew that I knew what I knew, then there was no point in hiding it.

"But…"

"Yes?" This time, it was Akito who stopped. The word had a hint of danger in it. I was treading on very thin ice.

"Well… that is, I just thought… Akira-sama passed on long before I was born." I tried to put it in as delicate a way as possible.

A tiny frown line appeared between Akito's dark eyes. I held my breath, waiting for the form her response would take. I was, however, unprepared for her laughter. It was more than a little wild, and I was even more afraid that if she had thrown a fit.

"Of course, you wouldn't remember," she said, face under control again, even if her voice wasn't. "Yes, it's true that father died before you were born. But _that woman_," and here I knew she meant Ren, "being the madwoman that she is, was wracked with grief. _Wracked!_" She cried, before getting her composure once again. "She locked herself in her room for years, refusing to talk to anyone, languishing in the dark, nearly _mad_ with grief. Mad! Mad enough to convince herself that one of the male servants was my _father!_ The servant was a bastard. He encouraged _that woman's _delusion, even going so far as to share her bed! In the morning, of course, the game was up, but it was too late for that stupid woman. She was already conceived!" Akito laughed at the obscene comedy. I looked down, face burning with shame. It wasn't true. It wasn't. I wasn't born like that. My mother and father – my _real _mother and father – loved each other very much. This was just some bizarre parody. Now, far from thinking myself lucky to live in the world of the Sohmas, I wanted nothing more that to get out – get home.

"So you see, we are bound for life, you and I – by the loins of that woman. Of course, once you were born, you had to be kept secret. No one could know about that woman's shame. So we hid you, never spoke of you, but always kept you in our hearts. " I highly doubted that. "And then one day, ten years ago, you disappeared. I have been waiting, Kokoro _Sohma_." She accented the last name as though she knew of the one I had taken upon myself. I had to admit that, in another reality, I would have killed to be called Sohma. But not now. Not until the curse was lifted and the shame exorcised. Until then, I would have to stay out of this world.

"Now, of course, that we know it's you, you will stay here, with us, in the Main House, as befits the sister of God. And you will be treated with reverence by the Juunishi, and you will treat them as they deserve, as befits the cursed animals." I knew what she meant, that I was to torment and torture the Zodiac as she did. But I wouldn't. I didn't want reverence from the Sohmas, either. I wanted friendship. I wanted to go home.

The darkness of the Main House pervaded my soul. It only took a few days there before one became depressed. And always in the back of my mind was the shame, the terrible, undying shame of Akito's tale that made me wonder if I would ever be able to hold my head up in the presence of others again – even Yuki. Especially Yuki.

I was dressed in the traditional kimono garb of the high-ranking Sohma family, and given a room of my own, in which I spent as much time as I possibly could. It was a pretty, simplistic little layout, and was the perfect place to escape the stares of the servants. Trying not to get depressed in my self-enforced solitude, I kept the blinds open, coaxed gardeners to bring flowers to the window, and spent hours pouring over old Japanese romances. Out of all the older Juunishi that were regularly at the Main House, only Hatori came to see me. He would bring me meals when I was unable to face the scrutiny of the family at mealtimes, and he could always spare a moment for me, even when I knew he was desperately busy. His kindness was another thing that kept me from succumbing to the feeling of despair that invaded my spirit. He also did whatever he could to keep Akito's thoughts safely away from me, for which I was eternally grateful.

All in all, I had just started getting used to my new routine as Kokoro Sohma, when my luck ran out.

Akito could not be deterred forever, and now she wanted me with her, at all times. She called me into the main room. Momiji was there, and I could tell she had just been tormenting him. The look in his eyes told it. Momiji had always been one of my favourite characters, and I couldn't bear to see him in pain. I crossed the room quickly in a rustle of kimono to kneel down beside him. The poor boy didn't know what to expect, and I had to reassure him.

"It's all right, Momiji-san," I said softly. "My name is Kokoro. I'm not going to hurt you." I put my arm around him, my river of hair cascading in a waterfall I was too pre-occupied to stop over his shoulders. Momiji, still very unsure but deciding that my soft-voiced comfort was preferable to Akito's cruelty, moved marginally closer to my protection.

"Of course you're not going to _hurt _him," Akito said, her voice still dripping with malice and cruelty, "you, as the sister to his God, are going to tell him the truth, as is best for him. For his own good," Akito re-iterated, as Momiji looked up at me with tear-bleared eyes that were full of fear.

I stroked his sunny mop of hair and shook my head, leaning in close to whisper into his ear. "_All that means is that you can hug me without transforming," _I said. "_Don't worry. I'm not like Akito._" I kept myself from saying _her_ at the last moment. Even when I was feeling outright hatred of the family head, I would not betray her secret. Momiji, ever irrepressible, took that as permission to wrap me in a huge embrace. "You remind me a little of Mama," he confided, and I smiled. How could Akito possibly find it in her to hurt this charming little boy?

But Akito knew now that I had gone against her wishes. The hug showed obviously that what I had whispered in the rabbit's ear were not words of discouragement. She frowned.

"I _said _you were to tell him the truth. About what a useless and abandoned creature he is. That his life means _nothing _without me. That everyone else hates him because of what he is. That is the truth. He needs to accept that before he can grow up!"

"He's plenty grown up right now," I said, surprised at my own defiance. I knew I would catch it later. "He needs his childhood, or the childhood he would have if you let him alone!" Now I had done it. Akito would not let this go unpunished. But hopefully now all of her rage was directed at me and not Momiji.

The rabbit scurried to hide behind me as the head of the family bore down on me, a looming shadow too furious for words.

"Lock her up!" She growled, almost unintelligible. "You know where," she sneered to me. "It's somewhere very dark."

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**A/N: **Yes, I know, another cliffhanger - just less agonizing than the last one. The next one should be up... when I write it. 


	8. The Dark

**A/N - **I apologise for how long it took me to get this chapter up. I can only plead RL. Please, enjoy if you're still around. It's drawing to the end now...

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Chapter 8 – The Dark

As soon as I entered the place Akito was taking me, I realised at once where I was. Yuki's torture room. The place where Akito had systematically demolished his self-esteem. Seeing it for real, I could tell why. Suddenly my room upstairs that had seemed like a prison was now like paradise. And Akito hadn't even started talking. I told myself that whatever she might do, I couldn't give in to the darkness. I had to be strong, and someday, I would get out of this dream-turned-nightmare and go home, where I belonged. Seeing Yuki and living with Shigure had been fun, while it lasted, but as soon as Akito had entered the picture, she had ruined it, as usual. I shuddered to think what the situation would be like at home. My parents had to be worried sick – I had been gone almost two weeks (give or take a couple of years that I was still not sure of.)

Akito pushed me inside, Momiji long forgotten. In a way, I suppose, that had been my overall goal – to save Momiji, although I wasn't sure I had wanted all of Akito's attentions on _me, _seeing as how I had been desperately trying to avoid them the past few days. But it couldn't be helped now. For better or worse, I would take the punishment for Momiji.

_Better me than him, _was my only thought of consolation as Akito advanced on me, eyes burning. I fell back from the hatred in those eyes, cowering in the corner even as Yuki had done, no matter how much my mind told my heart to be strong.

Akito stood there for a moment, at an apparent loss for words. I held my breath, waiting. What form would her torment take?

Then she slapped me, and I reeled from the blow. It was the first time someone had actually hit me, and I had no protection. Treacherous tears sprang to my eyes and threatened to fall down my cheeks. Akito's silhouette became blurry.

"Who do you think you are?" she spat, hitting me again. I cried out, pressing myself even further back into the corner, trying to make myself small. "Do you think you're God? Well, do you?" Even if I had tried to answer, I wouldn't have gotten the chance because she steamrollered ahead.

"You disgust me. My own sister, trying to usurp my place among the Juunishi." I opened my mouth, but no words would come.

"Did you think that by appearing kind and gentle you would gain their favour? You're wasting your time, _onee- **san**," _she cried. "They don't understand kindness. They don't _need_ it. They're animals! Inside… and out."

I didn't trust myself to answer. I wanted to say "you're wrong," but that would only aggravate the situation. I was smart enough to realise that.

"Well, say something, dammit!" Akito said, hitting me again. I collapsed to the floor, curling about my stomach. I couldn't speak. Akito laughed, a cruel, grating sound.

"Are you only just realising how meaningless it is trying to refuse me what is mine? How meaningless your own life is? Did you think you could suddenly appear and destroy all I have laboured to create? You are a mistake, a lunatic's bastard offspring."

The tears that I had been suppressing broke free at those words. It wasn't true. It wasn't! I had parents – _this _was the mistake.

"Don't you see? The Juunishi are _MINE!_" She kicked me. "Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine!" Each time she said it, a kick accented her words. The pain was overwhelming. On the last, I heard a sickening crack, and a searing fire shot up my side. _Cracked rib, _said the part of me that was still sentient, then blackness began to creep around my eyes. The last thing I saw was Akito bending over me, seemingly genuinely sorry about what she had done.

"_Onee-san_?I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me… I'll get Hatori. You hang on, okay? Hang on, _onee-san_." There was sweetness and sadness and kindness in that tone. I almost smiled, thinking about what I knew Akito would become. I knew no more.

The next face I saw was Hatori's, looking down at me.

"You seem to have a knack for getting into trouble in this world, don't you?" His voice was stern, but his eyes were kind. I smiled, the expression just about the only thing I could do in my current state. Over Hatori's shoulder, I could just see above his shoulder that I was still in the dark room. So Akito had been worried enough to get Hatori, but hadn't allowed me out of the room.

"Akito sounded pretty worried when she went to get you… before I blacked out," I said. Hatori looked at me uncomprehendingly.

"You mean… you're actually worried… about her?" he asked, "after what she did to you?" I supposed he wasn't trying to hide "her" because he knew that I knew.

"I know that there's some good in her, if that's what you mean," I replied, "and I don't like anyone to worry."

"Well… You just caught me by surprise is all…" He recovered quickly.

"I believe there's someone who wants to see you. It would have to be brief, since Akito would not sanction it, but I believe I will be able to keep her away for a while."

My heart lept, then sank below my feet. It had to be Yuki. What would he think? Was he here to break it off? Had my being Akito's sister ruined our relationship? Of course it had. Why would he want to be with the sister of his worst enemy?

"Please… I want to see him." I really did. Just this one last time. To prove to myself that it was not all a dream. Then whatever else happened to me didn't matter.

Hatori nodded, and looked over his shoulder, calling.

"You can come in now. But be quick." Then he bowed to me and let himself out.

Yuki entered, stopping just inside the door. I couldn't put a name to the emotions on his face, and didn't try. I didn't want to speak, and, apparently, neither did he. I just kept looking at him. Seeing his face in three dimensions was still a novelty. He was so beautiful… it never failed to take my breath away. Finally, I knew I had to speak.

"Yuki-kun…" my voice trailed off, unsure. Were we still on first-name terms?

"Kokoro-kun." Apparently not. "Why…? What…?" There were too many questions for him to voice. He fell silent, waiting for an explanation, any explanation.

I hung my head. What could I say? "I'm sorry… I didn't know. I had no idea… This is all news to me… I'm starting to think living in other worlds isn't as perfect as I first thought. All I want to do is go home – but I don't even know how to do _that_!" Tears began to fall from my eyes as I finally spoke the concern that had been haunting me since I first entered the new world.

He nodded. "You should go home." A sob escaped me. I knew this was how it was supposed to be, but it still hurt. I inhaled sharply – crying hurt my ribs.

He was instantly there. I was so surprised that I stopped crying. He caught my tear on his finger, just as he had that first time on the roof. I looked up at him, startled, and saw that he was smiling kindly. Was I delusional?

"Oh… Kokoro." I noted the use of my name. "I'm sorry. I just was so worried about you. I'm sorry." He put his arm around me, no longer shocked that he didn't transform.

"For what?" I was so confused. Wasn't he supposed to be mad at me?

"I couldn't protect you," he said. "I came with you to the main house to keep you from Akito, and now look what's happened." He looked at me with concern. "What lies has he told you?"

Brokenly, I told him. He shook his head.

"That's a blatant lie. You shouldn't trouble yourself about it any more." I smiled, grateful to him, but still I wondered: how could he so easily dismiss Akito's lies towards me when he couldn't in himself?

I was sill having a hard time getting my head around it.

"You mean… you're not mad at me?" Yuki chuckled and shook his head. "I couldn't be farther from it, Kokoro. I was just anxious. That's all."

I laughed a little, then stopped when it hurt my ribs. "I'm so glad," I said. "I don't know if I could stand you being mad at me."

He kissed my cheek. "That's why I never will be," he said. "I couldn't possibly be angry after what you did for Momiji. Hatori told me," he said to my questioning look. "and I think it was very brave." I blushed – I hadn't been brave at the time.

"That said," Yuki continued, and I looked up suddenly at the change in his tone, "what I said before still stands. You should go home. You have Akito's hatred now, and this world is not safe."

I looked down again. I knew he was right, but could I go back to merely looking at him on a page or on a television screen when I knew I had once had the flesh and blood with his arms around me?

He hugged me rather hesitantly, guessing my thought. "It's all right, Kokoro. I will still be here, and whenever you want to, you can think of me. Maybe someday, when everything's calmed down, you can come back. But right now, we have to get you out of here." I nodded. My eyes were dry. I knew that as soon as things "calmed down", Akito would be revealed as a woman and Yuki would be in love with Machi. It was a shame. What we could have had… But it was all a moot point. The storyline would be dramatically different if Yuki was my boyfriend instead of Machi's. Still, it hurt.

"Without giving away too much, Yuki," I said, "I have to tell you – if you ever find someone else, don't worry about me," I said. "I probably won't be coming back." He started to speak, but I stopped him. "You can deny it all you like now," I said, "but the truth is, you _have _to be with someone else. For the good of the storyline." I shook my head. "It was a dream, Yuki. Nothing more."

"I don't believe you," he said, but didn't continue.

I looked down again. What could I answer to that?

Hatori's voice came from somewhere near the doorway.

"Yuki, I would make myself scarce if I were you. He's coming."

Yuki hesitated, and then kissed me. Properly. I gasped a tiny bit, ignoring the pain it brought.

"I'll be back, Kokoro," he said. I was too startled and pleased to say anything. The next second, Yuki had slipped out and escaped. I lay back down, putting a hand to my lips. I wanted to take a picture of that moment and put it in a box forever. But I knew I would have to be content with memories. Witting or not, Yuki had just made it ten times harder for me to leave this world. But Yuki had to be with Machi. That was how it had to be… if I could _ever_ leave this world.

Hatori entered again. "Did you have a good time?" The corner of his mouth turned up in a rare smile, and I knew I didn't have to answer. "I'm guessing you don't want to see Akito?" I hesitated.

"No, not right now." he nodded. "I thought as much," he said. "Pretend you're asleep. You're recovering, so it's plausible. She's coming now." I smiled, and closed my eyes. I would have turned onto my side, but it hurt my ribs too much, so I didn't.

"I'm sorry, Akito," came Hatori's voice, "but she's sleeping. You hurt her fairly badly, and her body is recovering. You'll have to come back later."

I listened for Akito's reaction. This would show how mad she still was at me.

"Damn weakling," she growled, "didn't put up any resistance at all."

Hatori was silent. "You are very overbearing, Akito," he said finally.

"What's that supposed to be?" she asked him, her voice now deadly calm. She knew exactly what it was. I held my breath. Hatori knew how to take care of himself. I couldn't protect him, not like this.

"You know exactly what that is. The truth. She had no defences at all. I don't think she'd ever even been hit before."

Akito laughed. "Then I had the honour of being the first? Dubious, perhaps, but there you have it. _Onee - **san**_ needed to grow up. I helped. That's all there is to it, Hatori!"

Hatori said nothing. I let out my breath, being careful to control it so that it didn't attract attention. Hatori certainly did know how to take care of himself. He knew how to divert Akito's rage expertly.

"Well, it seems the little brat is going to ignore my wishes once again. I'll be back."

"Of course, Akito." I heard footsteps moving away. A short time later, Hatori's voice came above me again.

"It's all right, Kari-kun," he said, "She's gone." I opened my eyes.

"That was a masterful performance," I said. Hatori looked away. "I have practice," he replied.

I nodded. Eventually, Hatori turned back.

"We have to get you out of here, and out of this world. You'll only get hurt if you stay here." I nodded again. "Of course, we can't move you in this state, but when you get better, you have to get out."

"You're right," I said. He left the room.

"Don't forget to sleep," he said, "It will make you heal faster." The door closed, and I was alone.

I closed my eyes, but had no intention of going to sleep. I wanted to plan how to get out when the chance came. But before long, despite my best intentions, my eyes dropped closed and I dozed.

This time, instead of dreaming of Fruits Basket, I dreamed of home. Suddenly, I became aware of another presence in my dream.

"_Who are you?" _I asked. Visions of my room were suddenly replaced with utter blackness, with only a small glow in the dark.

_Someone close to you. _The erethral voice came from the glowing orb in the midst of the darkness. I suddenly felt comforted, even though I didn't know who it was. _The fact that you have become aware of me already bodes very well. I may even be able to show myself to you sooner than expected. But you have much to learn before then, so it would be best if you forgot about this for now._

When I woke, several hours later, I had no memory of the incident.

For several days, I recovered in Yuki's penitentiary, and all I saw was Hatori. He somehow managed to keep Akito away from me, and for that I was very grateful, because I knew that it had to be very hard. But somehow he managed it, and I slowly got better. But things couldn't stay like this forever. Either I had to get out, or Akito had to see me.

* * *

**A/N - **If you thought that sounded like a segue into another story... You'd be right! I do plan on writing another one connected to this one... whether I do or not remains to be seen. 


	9. Out

**A/N - **I was feeling productive today, so here's the next chapter. We're drawing to an end, now...

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Chapter 9 – Out 

I was fully healed now – breathing no longer caused me any pain, nor did I feel it necessary to sleep every two hours, either. Hatori entered my room.

"I declare you cured," he said, but in a low voice. He didn't want any of Akito's many ears to hear.

"I am sorry to say, Koro-kun, that I cannot keep Akito away from you any longer. You're going to have to see her."

I nodded, swallowing my own fear. "I understand… Thank-you so much, Hatori-san."

He shook his head. "I will only be deserving of your thanks if I find a way to get you out of here before Akito sees you. But that, I fear, is impossible." He turned to leave. "She is coming tomorrow." The door closed behind him.

I understood that he was only being brusque with me because he was worried, if I could be so presumptuous as to think that Hatori would be worried about _me_. I shook my head, smiling in spite of the situation. Even after more than two weeks in this world, I couldn't get myself to believe that I was really here.

"I suppose that when I do get back, it will all seem like a dream," I said, refusing to think of the fact that I might never get back. I had promised myself that I would only think of that if everything had been tried – and nothing had been tried yet.

Soon, however, my thoughts were wrenched back to Akito. She was coming tomorrow, and I was more scared than I wanted to let on to anyone. I still had no defence. What if she injured me again, and I had to spend more time healing? If I stayed in here I would never escape.

I wracked my brains until night fell, but I could come up with no plausible solution. I supposed I would just have to see Akito and hope for the best… or the worst.

Night brought another, deeper dimension to the darkness of the room. I curled myself up in the shadows and tried to sleep, tried not to think about tomorrow. Tomorrow was going to come, whether I worried or not, so what was the point in worrying?

That was what I tried to tell myself, and I could make my body believe it. But the truth was, I was worried out of my mind. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep.

Suddenly, I heard the swoosh of air as the door opened. I looked up, startled. Had Akito come early to gloat over me? The figure moved quickly across the floor. It was too small to be Akito. A flash of blonde caught in the single ray of moonlight that penetrated the dark walls.

"Momiji-kun?" I remembered just in time to keep my voice quiet, but it was a near thing. Momiji was the last person that I had expected to see.

"Yup! I'm here to get you, Kari-chan!" It amazed me that Momiji could still be his cheerful self in this dark pit, but that was the Rabbit for you. A hand was held out to me, and I took it. We moved swiftly out of the room.

"Yuki's waiting for you. He came to rescue you, but he told me that he couldn't come here. He hopes you'll understand."

"I do. I understand completely." I would have been worried if he had.

"I'm glad." Yuki's soft voice came out of the darkness in front of me. I would have halted in surprise, if it hadn't been for Momiji.

"Come on, Kari-chan, there isn't much time," Momiji whispered. Yuki fell into step beside me.

"Hatori's got the gate open," he told me, "but he can't keep people away forever. Eventually, someone's going to see. We have to get you out of here. You can stay at Shigure's house for a while, but not long. Once Akito knows you've gone it's the first place he'll look."

I nodded my understanding. "Thank-you. I've been thinking about a way to get home… I have come up with something, but I'm not sure it'll work…" my voice trailed off uncertainly.

A calm hand slipped around my waist. "I have confidence in you, Kokoro," Yuki said. "I know you'll figure it out."

We reached the outer yard. Hatori stood there, looking nonchalant. He nodded as soon as he saw us.

"You'll have a safe journey to Shigure's house," he said. "After that, I cannot guarantee anything." I smiled and nodded. "That's more than enough. Thank-you for everything." I wasn't sure if I was going to see him again, so I gave him a hug. He stiffened, surprised, then patted my head.

"You're very welcome. It was nothing. Now, go!"

Momiji waved as we departed.

"Thank-you, Kari-chan," he called softly, "I won't forget it!" I smiled and waved, showing him it was nothing. Yuki took my hand and led me through the night to Shigure's house.

When we got there, Tohru and Shigure were waiting for us.

"Kokoro-kun! Yuki-kun!" Tohru cried, and ran out to meet us. I winced, her voice sounding deafening after the quiet of my escape, but then remembered that we were far away from the main house.

"Are you all right?" she asked. "I'm fine, thanks to Hatori-kun and Sohma-kun," I said. "How's Kyo-kun?" I inquired, remembering the plight of the Cat when I had left.

"He's fine. He said he didn't need to go to the hospital, but that's Kyo-kun for you." Tohru smiled. Shigure came up to us.

"I'm sorry to interrupt this meeting," Shigure said, "but I hope you have a plan, Koro-kun," he said. "When Akito realises you're gone…" I nodded. "I have something I want to try."

When we entered the house, Kyo stood there. He looked as though he had just been trying to hide. I stepped forward from the others and bowed.

"I'm very sorry, Kyo-kun," I said. "I sincerely hope that I will cause you no further trouble." The Cat looked away awkwardly. "It's fine," he said. "Just go home already." I smiled. "That is what I plan to do," I said. I turned to Shigure.

"Do you have a guide book or a research book, anything showing Canada?" The writer thought for a moment.

"You know, I just might," he said. "Follow me."

"I wrote a special request book set in Canada for a client of mine – an international company that wanted more of a consumer base. I had to read up on it, of course, because I knew nothing about the country," he said as we walked. "I think I might still have a guide book or two lying around." Hope began to grow in my heart – Shigure certainly had enough things "lying around" that a guide book would certainly be one of them.

We entered the disaster zone that was Shigure's study and the author began rummaging. I looked at the others.

"I got here with a book, right?" I reasoned. "So it should follow that I would get home using a book." Tohru clapped her hands and grinned.

"Amazing! Just amazing Koro-kun," she said, "you're a genius!" I looked down, embarrassed.

"Not really," I said, "we still have to see if it works."

"Aha! Got it!" Shigure exclaimed. He held out a book to me. I took it, looking with growing excitement at the title.

_See Canada in 14 Days_

_If it's two weeks, _I thought, _that isn't nearly time to see everything there is to see. Which means that they must only cover the basics. And the most basic of all is…_

I opened the book to see the contents. There it was, almost at the top. CN Tower. I quickly turned to page 5.

_The tallest free-standing structure in the world, _the caption read under its familiar silhouette, _the CN Tower is a must-see for any tourist. You can't miss it!_

I looked up at the rest of them excitedly. 'This will take me home," I said.

"Do you live near this tower?" Yuki asked.

"Well, not really," I said, "but I can take the transit home easily enough. I have enough money in my… pockets!" I had reached down out of habit and discovered that I was still wearing the Main House standard-issue kimono.

"Your clothes!" Tohru exclaimed. "They're ready for you. I washed them about a week ago, and I found some strange coins in the pockets. I thought they might be important to you, so I kept them. Hang on a second, and I'll go get them!" She rushed out. I looked at Yuki dryly.

"You know, if this doesn't work, I'm going to feel very silly."

"Don't worry, Kokoro," Yuki said," I have faith in you." I smiled, but didn't reply. If only I had faith in myself.

Tohru brought my clothes to me, and I went into another room to change, happy that I had chosen to fall asleep fully dressed (abnormal for me) on the night I left, instead of changing into my pyjamas. I wondered if I hadn't then subconsciously known that I would need them, but pushed the thought out of my mind. How could I possibly have known? I had just been rushed and tired.

Tohru had put my money back in my pockets. I had $2.50 – more than enough to get me home. I wondered what my parents would say when I arrived after a two-week absence. But there would be time enough to worry about that later – I had to get home first.

When I went back into Shigure's study, everyone was standing there waiting for me. Tohru was holding a bag, and Yuki seemed slightly nervous.

Tohru stepped forward first.

"Um… Koro-kun," she said, "I want you to have this." She held the bag out to me. Looking inside, I could see that it held the clothes she had lent me when I first arrived. It seemed so long ago, now. I looked up at her, surprised.

"Are you sure?" I asked. I knew Tohru didn't have many clothes. She nodded vigorously. "Please accept it, Koro-kun," she said, "in memory of this world. But," she said with a smile, "I do kind of expect them back." I returned the smile, taking her meaning.

"I have a lot of people that I still want to meet," I said. "If I find a way to do it, I will definitely return." Tohru nodded, satisfied. She hugged me. "Goodbye, Koro-kun," she said, "it was nice to meet you."

"You too," I said, "Thank-you so much." Shigure came next.

"Well, bye-bye, Koko-kun," he said, and I raised an eyebrow at the change of name. Shigure pretended not to notice. "I must say I'm happy with what you edited," he continued, "and I'm sure Micchan is too. This has been very exciting. Be sure to "drop in" again, won't you?" I smiled. "I will." Then I leaned in closer and said something for his ears alone.

"I'm aware of what you're doing," I said. "Just be sure you're ready for how it turns out." Then I smiled again and shook his hand. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye," he said, but his voice wasn't as cheerful as before.

To my surprise, Kyo stepped forward.

"This'd better work," he said, looking at me darkly. I nodded. "I hope it does too, Kyo-kun," I said. "I'm sorry again."

"Look, it was the damn rat who beat me up," he said, growling vaguely in the direction of Yuki. I smiled. "I know." And so we parted.

Yuki still looked a little nervous.

"I'm sure it'll be fine," I said. "If it doesn't work, I'm still here. If it works, I'm home." He nodded, but the look on his face did not disappear.

"Goodbye, Kokoro," he said, and I looked at him in surprise for calling me by my first name when there were people around. He gave a little half smile at the expression.

"I may never be able to call you that again – I wanted to get it in."

"Goodbye, Yuki," I said. "Remember what I told you." He nodded, but didn't look happy. "Arigato," I said, discovering that I could still speak in Japanese, even though, presumably, this was all in Japanese. He nodded. That was all that was needed between us.

I turned away to look at the book again. As I did, I caught something in the corner of my eye, outside the window. A winged figure with long hair. The outline was glowing white.

"What-" I started to turn, but the figure was gone.

"What is it, Koro-kun?" Tohru asked, but I didn't answer. I had just remembered what had been in the unnoticed background of my dream of Yuki and Kyo – the same white glow. Seeing it somehow put aside all doubts in my mind that this would work.

Holding the bag from Tohru in one hand, I waved a final goodbye with the other, and put a hand to the picture.

_Please, let me go there, _I begged silently, _please let me go home._

There was silence for a while, and then suddenly a wind picked up, which was odd because we were indoors. Yuki darted to my side and slipped something in the bag that I was holding. I looked at him questioningly, but I was suddenly unable to speak. There was a brief flash of light, and suddenly…

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**A/N - **There you have it. The worst cliffhanger of all. I won't leave you hanging too long... I hope. 


	10. Back

**A/N: **Sorry. I hadn't intended to keep you waiting this long. I was finished the day after, but my connection was messed up. Please, enjoy.

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Chapter 10 – Back

… I was back. Not just in Toronto, but inside my own room. I sat up in my bed, Volume 7 falling to the mattress as I carefully avoided the shelf. It was dark night, just as it had been when I left Shigure's house. I stopped my thoughts. Shigure's house? I couldn't have gone there. It was all just a weird dream.

Then I felt something in my hand, as my senses returned slowly. It was the handle of a bag. I took it out from under the covers, staring at it without comprehension. Then it all came back to me – finding the Canada guide book, Tohru handing me the bag with her clothes in them – hoping beyond hope to get them back. And Yuki…

I started, reaching into the bag. There, among the soft folds of Tohru's gift, was a box. Yuki had slipped it in just before I disappeared. Turning on my bedside lamp, I noticed a note stuck to it. To my surprise, it was written, albeit haltingly, in English.

_It was not a dream. Take this, Kokoro._

Tears starting in my eyes, I opened the box with trembling fingers. Another note lay on top of something inside. I took out the note, and saw there revealed a beautiful necklace; teardrop-shaped, with a blue stone in the middle surrounded by circular diamonds. The note read:

_I saw this coming home one day and thought of you. I am afraid it is not real, though it looks pretty enough… just like you._

I smiled. _Damned with faint praise, _I thought, but I knew what he meant. Taking out the necklace, I put it on. It sparkled in the light from my bed lamp. I admired it for a moment, and then realised – if it hadn't all been a dream, I had been away for two weeks and my parents would be dreadfully worried. Quickly I got out of bed and went out into the hallway toward my parents' room. I opened the door, fighting off the urge to call "I'm home!"

It was empty and the light was still on. That meant they were still awake. Were they perhaps sitting by the phone, waiting for news? I took a look at their bedside clock before I left and was surprised to see that it was the exact time as it had been when I left. This was very confusing. I went downstairs.

The main floor was quiet. I heard the sound of the television from the basement. Going downstairs again in growing confusion, I went into the den and saw my parents sitting there, calmly watching a movie.

"What's the matter?" My mom asked. "You look really confused about something." The movie went to commercial, so my dad switched to the Weather Network.

"Haven't you gone to bed yet? You aren't dressed," he said. I stole a glance at the screen and almost cried out. TODAY'S FORECAST, it read, and its date was the same day I had left.

I looked back at my parents, who were looking at me expectantly.

"What _is _it?" my dad asked. "You look as though you've seen a ghost."

I took a deep breath, trying to get my thoughts under control. I wondered if my home was not now a dream, and that I would awake in the dark room at the main house. I pinched myself, but didn't wake up. This was no dream. This was too weird.

"Umm…" How to explain? _What _to explain? Finally, I decided that since everything seemed to be normal, I wouldn't complicate matters. Obviously, I hadn't been gone for two weeks.

"Nothing. Just wanted to say goodnight."

I went back to my room and fell asleep trying to figure things out. In the morning, I had come to the conclusion that I had been transported into the world of Fruits Basket, gotten myself out, and come back at the exact time I had left. It was the only plausible explanation. But who was the mysterious glowing figure at the window? And why was it given to me to transport myself in and out of books? Was this all some crazy fluke? Or could this happen again?

But the answers to all my questions were long in coming.

* * *

**A/N: **I do intend to write a sequel. Whether I do or not depends on many chances. But, unfortunately for all of my Furuba-fan readers, the story will not be set in Fruits Basket, but in another of my favourite books. Unless you have the exact same book preferences as I, this may be the last time we meet. Therefore, farewell, faithful readers! I bid you adieu! Thank-you so much, and keep on reviewing!

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